MLB Pipeline shines light on power potential lurking in Guardians’ system

For the longest time, the Cleveland Guardians seemed allergic to developing and producing young players who could hit for power. 

And while that seemed like the case against last year when the Guardians once against finished in the back half of the league in home runs (168), that could soon change thanks to the bevy of power hitting prospects in the team’s minor league system. 

On Wednesday MLB.com’s Jim Callis reminded the baseball world just how much power is in that system with his spring training report on the Guardians, where he wrote that the prospects in Cleveland’s system could be on the same level as the team’s vaunted lineups of the 1990s. 

 The Cleveland Guardians have plenty of impact prospects in their minor league system 

The main prospects highlighted by Callis were Travis Bazzana,  Chase DeLauter and first baseman Ralphy Velazquez, all of whom are at or near the point where they could help make an impact in the bigs. 

But, as Callis pointed out, the Guardians also have some power in the lower level of their minors thanks to Jace LaViolette, Aaron Walton, Nolan Schubart and Dean Curley — all of whom the team selected in last year’s draft. 

Normally the Guardians tend to target young hitters with a strong contact tool, but that quartet is power over contract. That starts with LaViolette, who the Guardians picked with the 27th pick in last year’s draft.

He still hasn’t played in an organizational game for the Guardians after sustaining a wrist injury in his final collegiate season, but he should be healthy and able to hit the ground running this season. 

Elsewhere, Callis picked DeLauter as his camp standout for the Guardians, which adds another notch in DeLauter’s belt of spring accolades.

While assistant GM James Harris told Callis that the Guardians are managing DeLauter’s workload because of his injury earlier this spring, he’s used his time on the field this spring to show just how good he can be. 

DeLauter’s just one part of the Guardians’ promising outfield picture. Another big part of the future of Cleveland’s outfield is Kahlil Watson, who was tabbed as the Guardians’ spring sleeper. 

He hit .429 in eight games with the Guardians this spring before being sent down to Triple-A, but it seems like he’s going to help them at some point during the 2026 season. 

The Guardians clearly trusted DeLauter and fellow outfielder George Valera enough to include them on the postseason roster, but it seems like the tide is beginning to turn when it comes to the future of the Guardians’ roster. 

After teasing a youth movement over the past couple seasons, the future is officially here for the Guardians. And it couldn’t have come at a better time.